NCAA Tournament 2011: Power Ranking the Top 15 Star Players of the Elite Eight
The Sweet Sixteen has just ended, and with the Elite Eight about to begin, this is what crunch time is all about.
The Elite Eight separates the men from the boys in the NCAA tournament, and this year will be no exception.
Every year, there are some star players who step up and lead their teams to the very end of the tournament, and these 15 guys are the most likely candidates to do so this year.
Star players can lead their teams to magical runs in March, and even April, and these guys all have the potential to do so.
Let's face it, star payers and 30-point performances capture our attention, and we have seen breakout games from all of these guys.
There are guys who can drain threes, and those who can dominate the paint. Some of these guys have the potential to do both, but I'll let the next 15 slides do the talking.
15. Terrence Jones, Kentucky
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Terrence Jones is the second leading scorer on Kentucky, and he also grabs 8.7 boards per contest. Jones has the stats, and he has the play to make his name known this season in the NCAA tournament.
Jones has had a poor tournament offensively, averaging only 10 points per game, but he has picked it up defensively. Jones is good on both ends of the floor, and he has demonstrated his defensive prowess in the tournament.
Jones’ length has helped him in the season, as he averages about two blocks per game. Every game in the tournament so far, he has recorded exactly two blocks.
Jones has shown that he can help his team in more ways than one, and this is what makes him so spectacular.
14. Jamie Skeen, VCU
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Jamie Skeen has led the VCU Rams to the Elite Eight, and shocked the college basketball world. Skeen started his collegiate career with Wake Forest, but transferred to VCU after his sophomore year.
Jamie Skeen leads the Rams with 15.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game (both team highs), not to mention shooting about 40 percent from three.
Skeen has averaged 13 points and about six rebounds per game in the tournament, and even though those numbers are below his averages, he is still helping the team.
When Skeen is on the court, teams think he is the only good scorer on the team. This, however, allows him to get his teammates involved, and still balance the offense.
VCU has won four straight, and it is due in large part to Skeen. If Skeen were not on the team, we would be talking about them being in the NIT, not the NCAA tournament.
13. Alex Oriakhi, UConn
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Alex Oriakhi is the big man for the UConn Huskies, and he is the leading man to back up Kemba Walker.
Oriakhi can score when his team needs him, averaging 9.7 points per game, and he can clean up the glass, averaging 8.4 rebounds per game.
Oriakhi is the big man down low on Final Four favorite UConn, and he deserves some respect. M
ost people think UConn is just Kemba Walker, but that plays in Oriakhi’s favor. Oriakhi can fly under the radar, while still scoring in the paint.
One of UConn’s most effective plays is having Walker drive and dish to Oriakhi.
Oriakhi is a key piece to the UConn offense, and is one of the best players in the Elite Eight.
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12. Shelvin Mack, Butler
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Shelvin Mack is a big scorer for the Butler Bulldogs, and he factors in to a lot of their games.
Mack averages over 15 points per game, and he also hands out 3.6 assists and grabs 4.3 boards. While he is mainly a scorer, he gets more done off the ball than some other scorers because his game has many other levels.
Mack is an X-factor for the Bulldogs because they know what to expect from Matt Howard and some of their other guys. But Mack can go for 30 as he did against Pittsburgh to get to the Sweet Sixteen, or he can have off nights and go for three like against Milwaukee.
Butler’s play is determined heavily by Mack, and when he’s going, so are the Bulldogs.
11. Brandon Knight, Kentucky
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Brandon Knight is the leading scorer for the Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 17.4 points per game. While the freshman had a poor outing against Ohio State, he dropped 30 on West Virginia, and showed his potential.
Knight also leads the team in assists at 4.2 per game, and he posts a solid 3.9 rebounds per game as well. Knight is an all-around player, and his Wildcats look dangerous.
If Knight gets hot, the Wildcats can beat any team in the country.
Knight can drain threes (shooting almost 40 percent from three), or he can beat you on the drive. Knight’s versatility makes him a dangerous threat, and UNC needs to take this frosh seriously.
10. Chandler Parsons, Florida
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Chandler Parsons is one of the Florida Gators’ leading guys, and he played a big part in their win over BYU in the Sweet Sixteen, dropping 16 points, grabbing nine rebounds and seven assists.
Parsons seems to step up his game in big-time situations, like a lot of guys on this list.
For the season, Parsons averages 11.5 points, 3.8 assists and 7.8 boards per game while shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range.
The thing that makes this senior great, however, is his ability to grab rebounds and dish out assists, unlike other forward who can usually only do one or the other.
Parsons went for 10 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists in Florida’s second round game against UC Santa Barbara. Games when Parsons show up are usually victories for the Gators, and he is not only a great player, but a deciding factor in a lot of their games.
9. Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
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Kendall Marshall is a true point guard, and he broke the North Carolina record for assists in one game this year.
Marshall is a problem for all opposition because you need to make sure he can’t get up in assists, but you can’t forget about his scoring capabilities either.
Marshall averages 6.2 points and 6.1 assists per game. These numbers show how Marshall can create for others, and they do not even represent his true potential.
Marshall was not playing much in the beginning of the season, and his numbers per game are marred because of this,. There is no doubt, however, over what he means to the team.
In games when Marshall plays over 20 minutes, North Carolina is 19-2, with both losses coming against Duke. That figure is absolutely ridiculous because it shows just how much Marshall helps the Tar Heels.
A player’s goal is to help his team win, and Marshall is certainly doing that.
8. Erving Walker, Florida
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Walker is Florida’s big-time player, and he is their best shot-maker.
Walker averages 14.8 points per game, and he’s solid with 3.4 assists and three boards per game. Irving can come up in the clutch too, shooting 40 percent from three-point range.
When Florida needs a basket, they look to Erving Walker to come up big for them.
Walker is the leader of this team, and he is going to need to come up big against Butler, but he seems to step up his play in the biggest games.
7. John Henson, North Carolina
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John Henson is a force in the paint, averaging a double-double in 26.7 minutes per game.
Henson averages about 12 points and 10 boards per game, and considering how fast he is doing it, it is all the more impressive.
Henson has recorded double-digit rebounds in his last 15 games, and has had double-doubles 13 times, including nine straight.
Henson is a beast inside, plain and simple, and he can do some serious damage if he is not taken seriously.
6. Matt Howard, Butler
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Besides Gordon Hayward, who left for the NBA, Matt Howard was the star on the 2010 Butler Bulldogs who made it to the Championship Game against Duke, but lost by a mere two points.
Hayward has left, and the Bulldogs fell from a No. 5 seed to a No. 8 seed, but they are in the Elite Eight once again.
The forward on Butler has posted 16.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest this season, and he is shooting 44 percent from three, and 79 percent from the free throw line.
Howard has led his team back to the Elite Eight, and into a matchup against Florida.
Howard can take over a game if needed, evidenced by scoring 20 of Butler’s 61 points in a low-scoring affair against Wisconsin in the Sweet Sixteen.
Look for Howard to post yet another good game against Florida in his senior season, with his collegiate career on the line.
5. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
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Harrison Barnes is the “fab frosh” on UNC, and he has proven what he can do on the court. Barnes is currently favored as a lotto pick in the NBA Draft, and for good reason.
Barnes averages 15.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this season, and he has also shot 34.6 percent from three in less than 30 minutes per game.
Barnes is already a leader on UNC, and when watching them play, you can tell why.
Barnes is a 6'8'', 210 lbs. beast who can pay inside and out. He is versatile, he is quick, and most importantly, he’s motivated. B
arnes is a true talent, and it’ll be interesting to see if he is coming back as some experts are speculating.
4. Markieff Morris, Kansas
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Markieff Morris is half of the dynamic duo that is the Morris brothers on Kansas.
Markieff averages 13.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in only 24.4 minutes per game. Markieff can shoot from deep (shooting over 42 percent from three-point land), can drive to the hoop and throw it down with emphasis.
Markieff is a game-changer for sure, and the fact that he and his brother play so well makes Kansas almost unbeatable.
3. Marcus Morris, Kansas
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Marcus is the second of the Morris brothers on this list (right ahead of his brother, funny enough). Marcus is given more attention and more hype because of his scoring abilities.
Marcus averages 17.3 points and 7.4 boards per contest. These are good numbers for guys who compete in entire games, but Marcus only need 28 minutes per game to get these numbers.
Marcus has the ability to take over a game, like his brother, but his scoring abilities push him just a bit higher. Anything that can be said for one can be said for the other, and that’s what makes Kansas so dangerous—the fact that they have two bona fide stars.
2. Derrick Williams, Arizona
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Derrick Williams is a fine specimen indeed. Williams is 6'8'', 241 lbs. and he has the speed and quickness of a guard.
Williams averages 19.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, not to mention his ridiculous 60.3 percent shooting from the three-point line. 60 percent from three is impressive for guards, but for a forward who is as big and can play inside like Williams, it is unreal.
First, Williams sealed Arizona’s first game with a block on Memphis’ final chance shot in the second round. Williams then converted a game-winning three-point play against Texas.
Williams showed just what he’s capable of in the first half of Arizona’s upset over Duke, putting up 25 points and going 5/5 from three. Williams kept his team in the game in the first half, scoring 25 of their 38 first-half points. If he hadn't, Arizona would have been down too much at the half to beat the Duke Blue Devils.
Williams drew praise from Mike Krzyzewski after the game, and coming from the coach who will take over the lead on the all-time wins list early next season, that’s high praise.
In my Sweet sixteen predictions, I called Arizona over Duke solely because of Derrick Williams. His 32 points sealed the game, indeed.
Williams has essentially won all three games for the Wildcats, and he is one of the hottest players in the NCAA tournament.
1. Kemba Walker, UConn
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Who else were you expecting?
What has to be said about Kemba Walker that you haven’t heard yet? He’s been all over ESPN, and he is probably the most well-known player in the NCAA.
The UConn Huskies jumped from un-ranked in the preseason to being a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. The reason being Kemba Walker’s superb play.
Walker has averaged 23.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, and he is the star of Connecticut basketball. UConn won a historic five games in a row to win the Big East Tournament, and Walker averaged 26.0 points per game in that amazing run.
Walker always seems to step up his game in big situations, and he has done it again in the NCAA tournament.
Walker only scored 18 against Bucknell in the second round (while most other players would love to score that many), but he dropped 33 on Cincinnati in the third round and 36 on San Diego State in the Sweet Sixteen.
Walker is the current favorite for the Player of the Year Award, and we can expect him to put on a show against Arizona in the Elite Eight.
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